Council President Dan O'Malley

[Dan OMalley]

I always found it curious that appointments to council always ignored those candidates that put their money where their mouth was and actually ran for the position. Instead, someone sweeps in out of the blue, or from behind the back door, and gets appointed.

In this immediate case, Laura Rodriguez Carbone had waged a rather productive campaign for office, garnering enough votes in an election close enough that a recount was done. Bullock, an incumbent, had a challenger within 65 votes. So clearly, she has support in the community. Why choose someone who didn’t spend the time, effort, and money to actually run for the job?

Fair point. FYI three of the four applicants for this vacancy have run for city council.

[m buckley]

History will be the judge of this appointment.
Does this City Council want to be remembered for inclusion, or for "standing in the school house door"?

That's what it comes down to.

[Peter Grossetti]

I always found it curious that appointments to council always ignored those candidates that put their money where their mouth was and actually ran for the position. Instead, someone sweeps in out of the blue, or from behind the back door, and gets appointed.

In this immediate case, Laura Rodriguez Carbone had waged a rather productive campaign for office, garnering enough votes in an election close enough that a recount was done. Bullock, an incumbent, had a challenger within 65 votes. So clearly, she has support in the community. Why choose someone who didn’t spend the time, effort, and money to actually run for the job?

Fair point. FYI three of the four applicants for this vacancy have run for city council.

But, to Ms. Conant's actual point .... none received nearly as many votes as Laura Rodriguez Carbone.